Everyone is Afraid of something
by ImaginaryWhisper03
Summary: Aragorn can't think of anything he truly fears. But will he discover that Everyone is afraid of something? And who will pay the price?


Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be. That's life, I guess. Addtional: The "Stones of Tyre" chant is from a   
  
  
  
A/N: This story was written quite late at night, so please forgive it's pointlessness. And now, in the immortal words of Freddie Mercury: The Show must Go On! (Shameless Queen referance..)  
  
  
  
Everyone's Afraid of Something  
  
/*/Flashback/*/  
  
"Aragorn, what are you afraid of?" Legolas and Aragorn were sprawled on the grass, staring up at the cloud floating over them. "What?" "What are you afraid of?" repeated the elf. "Why is that important?" "I would just like to know." Aragorn looked thoughtful for a moment. "I can't think of anything. Nothing, I guess." "Come now." Legolas scoffed. "Everyone's afraid of something." "Nothing comes to mind."  
  
"Orcs?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Death?"  
  
"Not fear. More apprehension."   
  
"War."  
  
No.  
  
Legolas looked irritated. "One day, I'll figure out what it is you're afraid of. And then you'll be in big trouble." Aragorn laughed. "We shall see, mellon-nin. We shall see."   
  
/*/End of Flashback/*/   
  
  
  
/*/Curently/*/  
  
  
  
"It wasn't me!" The golden haired prince shouted, trying desperately to break free of the grips if the men who held him. "I don't know who it was, but I did not kill her!" One of the men struck him across the face. "You are a lying elven bastard. You murdered my niece, and now you will pay the price!" Legolas was near tears of hysteria. "I was friends with Liana. I would NEVER hurt her, please you have to believe me!" "We don't." said another man. "We found her with an elven arrow through her heart. There is only one elf around these parts, and that's you! So, who was it, if you were not the killer?"   
  
  
  
Legolas could see he was never going to convince these people that he was not a murderer. He might as well face his death with the elven composure his race was famed for. He drew a deep breath, and said in the steadiest voice he could manage: "I don't know who cause the death of Liana, but I can assure you it was not me." The man who was Liana's uncle glared and opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by a cry of "We are ready! Bring out the prisoner!"   
  
  
  
The men drug Legolas out and forced him down on the cold stone floor. They tied his hands and ankles down, pulling them much to far. A voice boomed out. "Legolas, elf of Mirkwood. How do you plead to the murder of Liana Troice?" Legolas attempted to keep his voice free of pain. "Not guilty!" (Ok, I'm taking a course in law, that's were that came from. Don't sue, cause I can veto it. I know how...)   
  
  
  
The judge looked down at the elf. "We shall let the stones decide." Three stone were brought out in front of the four men at the long table. Apart from them, Legolas, the men who had brought him in, the room was empty. Legolas returned his attention to the stones. One was silver, one was gold, and one was black. "If the stone is gold, he is innocent. If it is black, it is not decided, and his life will be spared for now. If it is silver, he is guilty, and shall be crushed by weights until he is dead. A man in blue robes moved forward, and began to chant:  
  
Stones of Tyre  
  
Stones of Tyre  
  
Speak he truth or be he liar?  
  
Shall he live?  
  
Or shall he die?  
  
Speak now stones that never lie.  
  
The stones leapt into the air, and began to spin, as the man continued to chant. They began to spin so fast that one was barley distinguished from the others. As the man spoke the final phrase, one stone jumped away from the others and landed in front of the men at the table.  
  
  
  
It was Silver.  
  
  
  
Legolas gasped. This was the way they decided whether to kill someone or not? He wondered how many innocent people had died, and how many guilty had live because of this method. But he had other things to worry about.  
  
"He lies!" Liana's uncle cried, "The stones prove that!" The man in the blue robes spoke in a stern voice. "The stones have spoken. He mast now be put to death for the senseless murder of a young girl." Legolas twisted against the bonds that held him. "I swear to you I did not kill her! You must believe me!" But it was too late.   
  
  
  
(A note on this death method: It was used once during the Salem witch trials and is incredibly painful. (Yes I am an evil sadist, what about it?))   
  
  
  
A large wooden board was place over his chest and abdomen. Then the men began to place weights on the board, crushing the prince against the hard floor.   
  
  
  
"I'm going to die." Legolas thought as the weight began to cut off his breathing. "I'm going to die before I can see Aragorn again. Before I can tell my father goodbye. Before I can do a million things." His mind was beginning to go blank when he heard a voice cry out.   
  
  
  
"STOP THIS NOW!" The men in the room fled, and Legolas wondered what was going on. He felt the weight being removed hastily and drew air into his lungs in deep gulps. The board was pulled off and he opened his eyes that he had pressed closed in pain. There was, bending over him, the most wonderful sight he had ever seen.   
  
  
  
The face of his best friend, Aragorn.   
  
  
  
********************  
  
Aragorn had been shocked when he had run in. Legolas was lying tied to the ground, and being crushed to death, for something he knew his friend had not done.   
  
"Aragorn...it wasn't me... I don't know who...but it wasn't me, I swear it wasn't m-" Aragorn placed a finger over the elf's lips. "Iston, mellon-nin, Iston. Save your strength. Aragorn gathered the still trembling prince in his arms, allowing his friend's head to rest on his shoulder, holding him tightly. Legolas relaxed into his friend's embrace. Aragorn's breath caught in his throat as he watched Legolas closed his eyes, relaxing enough that his breathing began to return to normal.   
  
  
  
The words of his foster-father, Elrond, came back to Aragorn. "He trusts you, with every fiber of his being." At the time, Aragorn hadn't understood. After everything the prince had been through at the hands of men, why would he want to trust him?  
  
  
  
But now he knew, that friendship was trust and understanding, despite those things that made you different. And that was all that mattered.   
  
  
  
Leaning closer to the elf, the ranger whispered, "I was so afraid I'd lost you." Legolas opened his eyes and gave a half smile. "I told you Aragorn." He said. "Everyone's afraid of something." 


End file.
